Game News Colony Ship Update #41: Closed Combat Beta Begins

[Infinitron]

Tags: Colony Ship: A Post-Earth Role Playing Game; Iron Tower Studio; Vince D. Weller

Iron Tower have launched the closed beta test for the long-awaited Colony Ship combat demo. A select group of testers are already playing and over the next few weeks additional players will be joining up. If everything goes as planned, the demo will have a public release next month. The announcement update is short on text but it does come with ten new screenshots showcasing the latest iteration of the game's user interface, which looks better than ever.

Believe it or not, we finally hit this very important milestone. After 3 years of work I can hardly believe it myself (it's a very surreal feeling). Anyway, the first group of colonists is already playing the demo, so far no crashes or other unpleasantries. If everything goes well, we'll add 10-15 people this weekend and keep adding more each week until we have all the missing pieces, then release it to generic public.

What's left to do: replacing some old animations that Ivan never had a chance to finish, female animations and models, coats (the models are nearly done, need to be textured), all customization options including hair and beards, some GUI tweaks here and there, and extra sounds.​

Hopefully it won't take long for somebody to upload some footage to YouTube so we can finally see this thing in action.

 

[ItsChon]

Game is coming along very nicely. From the screenshots, the game is looking much crisper and sharper than AoD, and the decision to back to a standard RPG textbox was a good one. I have total faith that the combat will be excellent, as it was in AoD.

What I hope is that they've taken some steps to eliminate the sort of lifeless feeling some of the cities in AoD had. I don't know what it was, maybe it was just due to how the character models looked when they were standing there, but there was a certain wooden aspect in AoD that I hope they've managed to alleviate in Colony Ship.

Regardless, very excited. This will almost certainly be another GotY contender, and bring some more incline to the RPG genre!

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

What I hope is that they've taken some steps to eliminate the sort of lifeless feeling some of the cities in AoD had. I don't know what it was, maybe it was just due to how the character models looked when they were standing there, but there was a certain wooden aspect in AoD that I hope they've managed to alleviate in Colony Ship.

That was because of the limitations of the engine, Torque.

 

[Vault Dweller]

What I hope is that they've taken some steps to eliminate the sort of lifeless feeling some of the cities in AoD had. I don't know what it was, maybe it was just due to how the character models looked when they were standing there, but there was a certain wooden aspect in AoD that I hope they've managed to alleviate in Colony Ship.

The engine couldn't handle too many animated character models so we had to use "cardboard cutouts" instead.

 

[luj1]

Looks a tad system-heavy, but I guess that's part of the appeal. In this wasteland of hipsterdom I'll gladly take it.

 

[ItsChon]

Looks a tad system-heavy, but I guess that's part of the appeal. In this wasteland of hipsterdom I'll gladly take it.

I don't think so. It's a simple Stats, Skills, Feats system. Underrail had the exact same thing, except its derived stats aren't made clearly visible.

 

[Excommunicator]

needs a NSFW tag

 

[Rarre]

Looks Great!!! Thank you devs!!!!

 

[Dragon]

needs a NSFW tag

Yes, it is beautiful. RPG wet dream.

I hope there will be some difficulty settings. I never had so much fun than with the "double XP" mod in Age of Decadence.

 

[underground nymph]

Any streams/uploads already?

 

[Infinitron]

Any streams/uploads already?

Forbidden by Vault Dweller for now.

 

[Drowed]

So... Looks like 10 points for stats, 2 skills to tag, 3 skill points (based on INT maybe), and 1 feat point? If I remember correctly, we don't earn attribute points or skills by gaining levels, only feat points, right? Skills are increased by using. So if the only thing we gain from the level is the chance to choose new feats, is it a new feat per level? And some feats will have multiple levels?

I'm really curious to test it already.

 

[AbounI]

So... Looks like 10 points for stats, 2 skills to tag, 3 skill points (based on INT maybe), and 1 feat point? If I remember correctly, we don't earn attribute points or skills by gaining levels, only feat points, right? Skills are increased by using. So if the only thing we gain from the level is the chance to choose new feats, is it a new feat per level? And some feats will have multiple levels?

I'm really curious to test it already.

Not exactly Drowed, skills have a xp & level system, but yes, they are increased by using.

 

[Vault Dweller]

So if the only thing we gain from the level is the chance to choose new feats, is it a new feat per level? And some feats will have multiple levels?

One feat per level, no multi-level feats.

 

[Elhoim]

So... Looks like 10 points for stats, 2 skills to tag, 3 skill points (based on INT maybe), and 1 feat point? If I remember correctly, we don't earn attribute points or skills by gaining levels, only feat points, right? Skills are increased by using. So if the only thing we gain from the level is the chance to choose new feats, is it a new feat per level? And some feats will have multiple levels?

I'm really curious to test it already.

16 points for stats, they start at 4. Tags depend on INT. 3 points for the demo (not fully defined), 1 feat point. Skills increased by use, one feat point per level, you can install and upgrade implants on your character, we will probably have story based feats (you can gain them by your actions/training).

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Would you look at that beautiful, beautiful character screen

 

[Drowed]

One feat per level, no multi-level feats.

16 points for stats, they start at 4. Tags depend on INT. 3 points for the demo (not fully defined), 1 feat point. Skills increased by use, one feat point per level, you can install and upgrade implants on your character, we will probably have story based feats (you can gain them by your actions/training).

Thanks! Nice to know! Another question, by earning levels does your character earn anything other than that point to spend on feats? For example, more HP, based on constitution maybe? Or the only things that change in your character after the game starts (ignoring external events in the story that change stats) are the number of feats and the leven on skills?

And another curiosity, if it's information you can say now, of course. How many feats are there in the game today? VD said in some post that I read that the estimate is that you would reach level 10 to 12 in the game, so how many feats we have to choose from? About 20? Feats are the primary form of specialization of the character it seems, and there are no multilevel feats, so are you guys trying to have a large variation of builds with a lot of feats, or instead, focus on a small number of feats that allow some specific builds?

The game is looking great, by the way!

 

[Vault Dweller]

Thanks! Nice to know! Another question, by earning levels does your character earn anything other than that point to spend on feats? For example, more HP, based on constitution maybe? Or the only things that change in your character after the game starts (ignoring external events in the story that change stats) are the number of feats and the leven on skills?

No, feat points only, representing professional growth and development.

And another curiosity, if it's information you can say now, of course. How many feats are there in the game today?

24, I think. We'll add more stealth-related feats when we add the stealth system and we're always open to players' suggestions, of course.

VD said in some post that I read that the estimate is that you would reach level 10 to 12 in the game, so how many feats we have to choose from? About 20? Feats are the primary form of specialization of the character it seems, and there are no multilevel feats, so are you guys trying to have a large variation of builds with a lot of feats, or instead, focus on a small number of feats that allow some specific builds?

The latter.

 

[Serious_Business]

STR 10
CON 10
DEX 10
PER 4
INT 4
CHA 4

I'LL KILL YOU

*gets shanked by some kind of fucking asshole that tells me as I'm dying that I'm the greatest hero that ever lived*

 

[Diggfinger]

This uses fixed camera-angle, right?

 

[Vault Dweller]

This uses fixed camera-angle, right?

Yes.

 

[Crescent Hawk]

I am impressed by the cute 3d assets and sober art Vault. Very fucking nice. Hope the game is slightly lengthier than AOD. But from these screens it never feels like you are inside a colony ship. Hoping for some dungeons in the bowels of the ship with automated security.

 

[MrMarbles]

What I hope is that they've taken some steps to eliminate the sort of lifeless feeling some of the cities in AoD had. I don't know what it was, maybe it was just due to how the character models looked when they were standing there, but there was a certain wooden aspect in AoD that I hope they've managed to alleviate in Colony Ship.

The engine couldn't handle too many animated character models so we had to use "cardboard cutouts" instead.

Part of it may also have been sound design. The music in AoD cities was excellent, but there was a lack of ambient noise. Cities would immediately have felt more alive by simply adding some whistles, talking voices, animal braying, carts, mechanical noises from operating wells etc. (VtM:B did this really well, with distant gunfire, cell phones, screeching, footsteps and so on).

 

[luj1]

Really shocked that you don't see how bad the UI is. Takes but a glance.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Really shocked that you don't see how bad the UI is. Takes but a glance.

sub·jec·tive

based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.